[2] This species is found from northern South Africa through northeast Namibia, east and central Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique north to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They prefer densely covered bush lands and scrub such as dry savannas and grasslands.

[3] While knowledge on the lifespan of short-snouted elephant shrews are limited, one specimen lived 4.2 years in captivity.

[3] They have varied brown body fur with white, buffy or off-white rings around the eyes and upper lip.

[6] Each litter consists of one to two individuals that are born fully furred, open-eyed and able to run almost immediately after birth.

[9] Each short-snouted elephant shrew marks its trails with scent glands located behind its ears.